Prove You Wrong
by cherryredxx
Summary: When something unexpected happens, sometimes what you need is to have faith in people. Written for a challenge on the HPFC forum. - ABANDONED
1. Blame It On the Alcohol

**A/N: **This is being written for a challenge on the HPFC forum; the prompt is at the bottom of this first chapter.

* * *

She could feel his mouth all over her body – biting, sucking, and nipping at her neck. Her senses were dulled slightly by the mass amounts of alcohol that she had ingested, but she could still feel how every inch of his form pressed into hers. It was heaven; her body felt like it was going to explode as she involuntarily emitted soft moans of pleasure that gradually got louder as his hands went lower and lower. Her climax was approaching; she knew because everything felt fuzzy, like she was on an incredible high. She was at her peak, and one final thrust into her was all it took to push her over the edge.

He collapsed beside her, and she nuzzled up against his neck, feeling his warmth as they drifted off to sleep.

Ginny woke up alone. Her head was pounding; she almost felt like her pulse was going to explode out of her brain, and every bit of her body was sore. Vaguely, she was able to remember the night before. She knew she had gone to the bar, got extremely intoxicated, and then the rest was a blur. She had brought home a strange man from the bar, and Ginny could not even remember what he looked like.

Groaning, she tossed a pillow over her face, blocking the sunlight from her eyes. Of all the stupid things Ginny had done, this had to have taken the cake. The redheaded woman was very dedicated to her career as an Auror, and so she often did not have a lot of opportunity for dating, or even just socializing in general. Many nights after work, she would sit down in La Boehm, a cozy little bar in Diagon Alley, and have a few drinks to ease her tension. Apparently last night she had more than a few, however.

Finally working up the energy to get ready for work, Ginny tossed her pillow across the room and walked into her bathroom to analyze her appearance in the mirror. She had love bites all over her neck, her fiery red hair was tangled to resemble a bird's nest, and she had such dark circles under her eyes that she found her reflection to have a remarkable likeness to a raccoon. Already running late for work, she did what she could – painfully running a brush through her hair and using magic to hide her bags and blemishes. Though only slightly improved, as even these changes could not hide her tired eyes and obvious hangover, Ginny left for work. It was going to be a very long day.

It was a sign; the first person she ran into was Malfoy.

"Wow, Weasley," he taunted, "you look like hell."

Ginny glared. "Thanks," she replied tetchily. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get to work."

Draco did mind, apparently, because the blond man followed Ginny to her office. When she tried to shut the door in his face, he put up a hand to block her from doing so.

Tiredly, she said, "What do you want?"

He smirked self-importantly. "Potter wants to see us in his office. He sent me to look for you."

The redhead nodded. She set her belongings on the desk and hung her cloak up over the back of her chair. Her inbox was full, and she flipped through her mail slowly in an attempt to make Draco go away. When she looked up over her papers, she noticed that the tall blond was still there, leaning casually against her doorframe.

"I suppose Harry said to watch me get settled in because he thinks I have forgot where his office is?" she asked sardonically.

He smiled. "No, Weasley, of course he didn't." Draco paused as he pulled a small vial out of his pocket. "I just thought maybe you'd want this."

Her eyes doubled in size. "That's not what I think it is, is it?"

"A Hangover Potion, yes," he replied with a laugh, tossing the small jar over to Ginny. "Now drink it, because Potter was in a right foul mood this morning and I don't feel like making him any angrier."

With an understanding nod, Ginny downed the potion in a single gulp, immediately feeling a rush of warmth flood through her body. Suddenly, her head felt about ten times lighter, her joints no longer felt as though they were filled with sand, and her ears and eyes were no longer hypersensitive. She looked at Draco appreciatively. "If you weren't the bane of my existence, I'd hug you right now."

Draco blinked. "Please don't."

The pair of them walked to Harry's office, which was only a few doors down from Ginny's, and entered together. When they opened the door, the dark-haired man looked up from his parchment, shooting daggers at the redheaded witch. She was very happy that they were only metaphorical daggers.

"How's it going, boss?" she asked feebly.

"You're_ late_, Gin. Again!" he shouted. He stood from his seat and walked to the opposite side of the desk. "You know you're a good Auror, and you know you're like a sister to me, but there is only so much slack I can cut you before it makes me look bad. Now, I'm giving you an opportunity to tell me what the hell happened to you yesterday."

Ginny glanced at Draco, who had a very blank expression on his face. She really didn't understand why he had to be present for her lecture. She sighed deeply. "I had a rough day, Harry, I'm sorry. The witnesses for the Lipson case told me that they wouldn't testify, and I went out after work and got pissed. It was a mistake, and there's no excuse. It won't happen again, I promise."

Harry nodded reprovingly. "I understand what it's like to have a bad day, but I've heard this before. This is your fourth time late for work this month!"

"Are you firing me, Harry?" she asked weakly.

His expression softened significantly. "Not this time, Gin, but I have to do something. I can't just excuse you anymore because we're friends. I'm going to assign Malfoy as your partner; Katie Bell had to go on a leave of absence, so he's going to assist you on all of your current cases." He waved her off, knowing she was going to spout off indignantly. "I'm sorry, but this isn't my fault. You've done this to yourself. I know the two of you don't get along too well, but you're both going to have to get over it. You're the only two in my department without partners. You're both dismissed."

Much to her displeasure, Draco followed Ginny back to her office. He sat down opposite of her. "Weasley, I want you to know that I had no—"

"Save it, okay?" she said irritably. "I don't care whose idea it was, and I don't want to know. The fact is, you and I are stuck with each other until Katie gets back from her maternity leave. Then, you can go back to your partner, and I can get fired."

"Potter won't fire you."

"How do you know that? I was doing just fine on my own, and then he had to go and stick me with a partner!"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "What have you got against partners?"

"I don't play well with others, let alone pointy-faced ferrets."

Draco leaned forward, placing his hands firmly against her desk. "Let me tell you something, Weasley. I don't want to be your partner, either, but let's not forget who gave you that potion before you saw Potter, alright?"

She snorted. "We've worked together for five years and that was the first nice thing you've done for me."

"Continue being grateful like you are, and you'll find it will also be the last." Draco went to the door, but turned around right before he left. "By the way, I've volunteered us to work on Christmas."

When the door shut, Ginny slammed her head against the desk.

Bloody Malfoy.

* * *

**Title** - Prove You Wrong

**Prompts** - Cigarettes, Bohemian, Fantasy

**Location** - Auror Department

**Event** - Christmas


	2. Dizzy

It was a week before Christmas, and Ginny was finally beginning her shopping. It was always a rough time of year for the redheaded witch, having so many brothers, nieces, nephews and friends to buy gifts for, but this season had been particularly difficult. Her 'partner' had very little family, and thus had no qualms with working extended hours during the holidays, leaving Ginny with very little time to do the things that she needed to do. Finally, during one particularly slow evening at the Auror's Department, Harry gave both Draco and herself the remainder of the evening off.

The streets of Diagon Alley were so packed that it was a wonder that Ginny was able to wander in and out of shops unscathed; it seemed as though every person in Wizarding Britain had chosen that evening to shop. The whole street was covered with a thin sheet of sparkling, white snow, and each shop was marvelously decorated in reds and greens. She had managed to purchase gifts for her parents, Harry, Ron, and George before deciding to take a break. Perhaps once she had some nourishment, her stamina for the hustle and bustle of the season would return to its full strength. She stopped at La Boehm and took her regular seat at the bar. Even her favorite pub, which usually sported a rather bohemian atmosphere, had transformed itself into a glowing representation of the Christmas spirit that the redheaded witch was currently lacking.

"What will you have, Red?" the bartender asked. He was a thin, older, brunet man who wore a black uniform with a white apron and carried a white towel over his shoulder. "You want the usual?"

Ginny smiled pleasantly. "No, Tom, not tonight," she answered. "No alcohol for me; I've still got shopping to do. Just some fish and chips, please, and a glass of water."

Only a moment after Tom left to retrieve Ginny's order, a man sat down beside her. She didn't turn immediately, only looked straight ahead. Unless Ginny was already partly intoxicated, she was not particularly keen on conversing with strangers. However, she felt compelled to look to her right. The familiar scent of cloves and cigarettes emanated from her neighbor, and the witch couldn't help but turn.

"Really?" she said, both annoyed and angry. "I spend all bloody day with you and now you come to my place?"

Draco smirked at her as he placed a cigarette between his lips. "I can't be without you, Ginny girl. You complete me."

Ginny sneered at the pompous blond man. "Please go away."

"No can do, love. This is my favorite pub in the Alley."

"Then why haven't I ever seen you here before?"

Draco smiled at this. "Oh, I assure you that we've met here. You're just usually too sloshed to notice by the time I come in."

Tom set down Ginny's order on the counter. "Hey, Malfoy," the bartender said. "The usual?"

"I'll take a Firewhisky and a blueberry scone, please."

Ginny stared at him for a long moment. "That has got to be the strangest combination I've ever heard, Malfoy."

The blond shrugged. "You usually sit here and take down eight shots of vodka without eating. At least when I know I'm going to get pissed, I put some food in my stomach first. It's really no wonder that you can't ever remember anything in the morning, which is probably why Potter doesn't care about your excuses anymore."

She knew he wasn't wrong, besides the fact that eight shots of anything was a gross overestimate, but it was certainly curious that he spent so much time paying attention to her. Full of uncertainty, she looked back to the night before Harry had partnered her with Malfoy. If Draco met her in La Boehm often, was it likely that he was the man she brought home? It wasn't really a question she fancied asking, and rather than doing so, she quietly nibbled on her food. After taking several bites, she started to feel nauseous.

Draco, who had been studying her intently as he waited for the return of his own purchases, noticed that she had turned slightly pale. "You alright, Weasley?" he asked.

"No, I'm not." Ginny covered her mouth and ran toward the loo. She wasted no time, running as fast as she could before vomiting in the nearest stall. After several minutes of retching, she was sufficiently drained and her face was ghostly pale. Ginny flushed away her stomach contents before exiting the stall to splash some water on her face. However, she did not expect to see a very concerned-looking Draco Malfoy waiting for her by the sink with a damp towel.

"You do know that this is the women's lavatory, don't you?" she asked. Ginny had intended for the remark to be much sharper, but her feeble state depleted the effect.

Draco ignored her comment and approached her. He gingerly dabbed the wet towel to her face. The blond was perfectly aware of the fact that his partner was annoyed by his presence, and so he was particularly amused when she gently closed her eyes at the relieving feeling he had provided.

"Thanks, Malfoy," Ginny said, opening her eyes.

"Let's get you home," Draco answered.

They used the fireplace in the pub to Floo to Ginny's flat. Draco allowed Ginny to go in first and then followed right behind. She tried to shoo him away several times as they walked toward her bedroom, but Draco persisted and followed her, his hands placed firmly on her shoulders the entire way down the corridor. When they got to Ginny's bedroom, Draco went to her wardrobe and began opening drawers.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked heatedly.

"I'm getting you some night clothes to make you more comfortable." He spoke as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "Where on earth do you keep you pajamas anyway?"

She rolled her eyes. "Bottom drawer," she stated haughtily. When he approached her with a pair of black flannel pants and its matching top, Ginny snatched the clothes away from him. "You can go, Malfoy. I'm not your bloody child."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "If you'd made any attempt to get to know me at all during the five weeks that we have been partners, you would know that I have no children."

She rolled her eyes again. "You say that as though you're the easiest person in the world to get to know."

"Right, because you _aren't_ a pain in the arse?"

Ginny placed her hands on her hips. "Can't you say anything nice? At all?"

"Sure," the blond said with a smirk. "You've got a nice rack, Weasley."

The redhead let out an almost primal sounding scream. "Is that all that you men think about?"

His smirk only grew at this statement. "I'd hope so if I were you. The only time you've got anything resembling an attractive personality is when you're completely sloshed, and even then you're not particularly interesting. Your looks are all you've got going for you."

She took a step closer to him. "Right, because you're Prince Charming, aren't you?"

"I have my moments, yeah."

Her brown eyes narrowed to thin slits. "You know what, Malfoy? You need a new partner. You need someone with no family and no friends who is equally as pathetic as you. That way, the two of you can spend all of the holidays working, and I can be left the bloody hell alone!"

"For your information, Weasley, I _offered_ to partner you because Potter was going to suspend you!"

Ginny blanched. "He – he was going to… what?"

"Nothing, forget I said anything." Draco turned and began walking to the door, but he was halted by a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Wait," she murmured. "Please don't leave." The blond turned to face her, an unreadable expression was adorning his features, and Ginny suddenly felt very awkward in his presence. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry, and thanks for helping me get home."

He shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant. "Can't have a sick partner, can I?"

Ginny smiled slightly. She could see in his normally cold eyes that he really was concerned for her well-being. Even though she hadn't particularly liked working with Draco, she was able to deduce in those three weeks that he held his emotions in quite successfully. His eyes often betrayed him, however, and Ginny found that quite becoming. It was nice to know that the Malfoy heir had a human side to him, despite the coldness that he often hid behind.

"Get some rest, Gin," he said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

Ginny nodded. "I'll see you."

After Draco had left, Ginny closed the door and changed into the pajamas that her partner had picked out for her. She heard the soft pop that signaled his Disapparation only moments later. Once she was settled into bed, she used her wand to turn out the lights, lock her doors, and set her alarm. It was still rather early, but she thought it best to go to sleep anyway, especially after Draco had let it slip that she had been dangerously close to suspension.

She closed her eyes and settled into her bed, fully relaxing against the firm mattress. Surprisingly, she didn't feel sick at all anymore. Generally the flu would last longer than twenty minutes, as would any sickness caused by food poisoning. The only thing that she could attribute her sudden burst of illness was her level of stress. She had been working many more hours than she was used to and it was extra taxing because she had so many things to do for Christmas. Yes, stress was the only explanation that she could come up with. That had to be it.

So why was she still so bothered by it?

One thing had been peculiar: Draco. He had stated when they were at the bar that he'd seen her there more than once, acknowledged that he had previously spent evenings chatting her up when she was intoxicated, and he also knew his way around her flat. The idea that he had been in her flat was nagging at her mercilessly. Using all of the energy that she had, she squeezed her eyes shut, remembering back to the night that she had brought a strange man to her apartment. Could that man have been Draco?

What if stress wasn't causing her to be sick?

Lately, she'd noticed other things. Smells bothered her more. When she had visited her mum at the Burrow one afternoon, the overwhelming smell of the pie baking almost made Ginny sick. She'd been a lot moodier, also – laughing one moment, crying the next. Her feet were more swollen than usual; she'd had a difficult time putting on her favorite pair of shoes that morning. It was adding up, and the redheaded witch knew that it all added up to one thing: she was pregnant.

Ginny threw the duvet cover off of herself and ran to her fireplace. She Flooed directly to the flat that Ron and Hermione shared, praying to the Gods that Ron was not at home. She was in no state to explain any of this to the only member of the Weasley family who was more hot-tempered than herself.

When she arrived at the flat, she saw Hermione sitting in a comfortable chair with a book. The brunette witch was wearing a pair of sweat pants, an old, baggy t-shirt, and a pair of slippers that had obviously been purchased for comfort rather than appearance. Her hair was twisted at the back of her head and held in place with a quill. Hermione looked up at Ginny as soon as she heard the crack of the fireplace, frowning at the sight of her sister-in-law.

"Gin?" she asked. "Is everything okay?"

Ginny shook her head very rapidly. "No, it isn't." She looked around frantically. "My brother isn't home now, is he?"


	3. Lost, Broken, Confused

Hermione was startled by the sight of Ginny. She stood up from her seat and approached her friend. "No, Ron isn't home yet; he's out with Harry. I can Floo him if you need him, but –"

"No!" Ginny shouted. Realizing that she was making her bad situation sound more like a life-or-death crisis, she willed herself to calm down significantly before speaking. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Sure," the older witch said with a nod. "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll make us a pot of tea and we can talk in there."

Ginny followed Hermione and sat down at the kitchen table. Once the tea was on, Hermione followed suit, taking her place across from Ginny. The older witch's brow was furrowed, and she stared critically at the redhead, wondering what caused Ginny to come through the fireplace looking so desperate.

"Well," Ginny began hesitantly, "I think I'm pregnant, Hermione." Rather than beating around the bush, Ginny felt that the best thing to do was be as candid as possible. The older witch, while very honest and intelligent, was not appreciative of euphemism.

Hermione's eyes widened significantly. "You're… pregnant…"

The redhead nodded and then slammed her head crudely against the table.

The older witch looked blankly at her younger sister, studying her response quietly. The pot of tea whistled, and Hermione got up to pour them each a cup. When she set the mug in front of Ginny, she asked gently, "Who is the father?"

Ginny lifted her head at the question, biting her lip. She was unable to look directly at Hermione, and instead glanced around the room, thus successfully avoiding any eye contact. She was too ashamed, too embarrassed, to admit that she'd allowed herself to turn into such a slag and get into such an unbearable situation.

Having been such a close friend to the younger witch for fifteen years, Hermione was able to look past Ginny's lack of an answer to see the truth of the circumstances. "I see," she said, a bit reprovingly.

"I – I was drunk, and I – I brought a man home, and I tried to remember who it was, but – but I just can't! Gods, Hermione, what have I done?" Ginny's quiet sobs erupted into a rapid flow of tears. "My parents are going to hate me for this, and my brothers will be so mad at me. Everyone is going to be _so_ ashamed of me! No one is ever going to talk to me again, and I'm going to be all alone with a baby who has no father, and I'm going to have to quit my job and spend the rest of my life whoring myself on the street or selling drugs or something to make ends meet! Oh, my life is over, and –"

"Ginny!" Hermione yelled. "Relax! It's going to be okay. Your family loves you, and even if they are mad at first, they'll all get over it. It's going to be okay, okay?"

Though not convinced entirely, Ginny nodded.

"So, you've got no idea at all who the father could be?"

The younger witch shrugged dismissively. "Not really. I mean, it had to be someone I met at La Boehm, but I've recently been told that I chat up a lot of men when I'm terribly intoxicated." Ginny paused momentarily, deciding whether or not to offer her theory about Malfoy. Deciding that any theory was worth offering, she said, "I know that I've spoken with Draco Malfoy a few times when I was there..."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully, apparently not catching Ginny's hint. "I know lots of people who go to that pub, though. Ron and Harry went there tonight, and so do lots of other people that work down at the Ministry. Maybe they can help you find out who you left with that night, or maybe you could even try asking someone who works there." The older woman paused for a moment, nibbling delicately at her bottom lip. "But, Ginny, if you can't find the father, it will be okay. You've got a big family, and we all love you."

Ginny nodded. "Thanks, Mione. I'm going to go get some sleep."

Hermione bid Ginny farewell, leading her to the fireplace.

When the redhead arrived back at her flat, she was feeling more confused and more re-assured. At the very least, she had gotten her secret off of her chest and into the hands of someone trustworthy. Hermione would definitely keep the secret for her while she did some detective work. Hopefully she'd be able to identify the father before she had to break the news to her family.

* * *

"Ginny's pregnant."

Ron had barely even crossed the threshold into their sitting room before his wife had made the declaration. The happily-drunk redheaded man stopped dead in his tracks as he watched his wife pace back and forth across the floor. She looked terribly nervous, and the smile slowly faded from Ron's face as reality dawned on him. Hermione wasn't joking.

* * *

The next morning, Ginny was awoken by the obtrusive sound of her alarm. Groaning, she got out of her bed, stretched her arms, and desperately tried to push the events of the night prior from her mind. All thoughts were halted for a moment as she heard the sound of pecking at her window. When she turned, she saw _eight_ owls tapping at her window. Curious as to what was so urgent that someone would have to send so many birds to deliver messages, Ginny opened her window. Her question was answered immediately. Each letter was from a different person.

_Ginny,_

_I cannot believe that you could be so irresponsible as to get pregnant before marriage. Your father and I raised you better than that, and you had better come to the Burrow tonight with that child's father and explain yourself. We weren't even aware that you were seeing anyone! We are very disappointed in you and we know that you're better than this; however, you should never allow the thought that any member of your family would abandon you to cross your mind. That is absurd. We love you very much and we always will. We look forward to meeting your fiancé later on this evening._

_Mum and Dad_

After reading that letter, she immediately felt the need to strangle Hermione. Hermione had no right whatsoever to spread the news around like that, and she especially did not have the right to reveal the fact that Ginny feared that her family would abandon her. She kept herself together, however, deciding that that would take too much energy. She also did not fancy having a child while in Azkaban. This was bad, though. Molly was clearly expecting Ginny to show up at the Burrow later on that evening with a man who was devoted to her and with a ring on her finger. Ginny had neither of those things.

The next letter only irritated her more.

_Ginny,_

_If you need to take the day off, I'll understand. Floo me and let me know._

_Harry_

Ginny rolled her eyes. She was pregnant, not incapacitated. The thought that Harry was going to try to baby her made her very angry indeed. She had five older brothers and she really didn't need or want a sixth, unless somehow Fred could be alive again. Her mother wasn't even treating her this way!

The next five letters each said, _Who did this to you?_ and each was signed by one of her brothers. She couldn't help but laugh at the fact that they had all wrote the exact same thing, although she knew that they'd eventually realize that it was her fault for being so drunk when she had had sex with a stranger that she'd forgot to cast a contraceptive charm. For the time being, though, she decided to take the high road and see the humor in the situation, however miniscule. She considered herself lucky that they were all at work, therefore unable to knock her door down and demand answers.

When Ginny saw who the last letter was from, she didn't bother reading it. Hermione did not deserve the respect and besides, Ginny already had a good idea of what the letter would entail. It would be an apology of sorts, explaining that she wanted to keep the secret, but she just had to do the right thing. At this point, reading the letter would serve only to irritate Ginny more. She tossed the letter into her fireplace and got ready for work.

* * *

Draco was already seated behind Ginny's desk when she opened the door to her office. At the sight of the blond, Ginny let out a noise of disgust and turned, planning to leave.

"I'm glad to see we're back on normal terms, Weasley," the blond said before Ginny could leave.

"What?" she asked, irritation evident.

He chuckled humorlessly. "Last night I was your bloody best friend, wasn't I? I helped you home and shattered your little fantasy that I only exist to annoy you, but now you're returning to your status as the department's biggest harpy. I'm glad, I have to say. It's nice when I'm not the most hated person on the job."

"Nobody hates me, Draco," Ginny responded, a bit unsurely.

"It's like I told you last night, love." Draco stood up from the seat he had occupied behind Ginny's desk and approached her with slow and deliberate footsteps. "You have the personality of an Blast-Ended Skrewt, especially when you are sober."

"I'm really not in the mood for you today."

Draco smiled slightly. "Listen, I want to take you out for a drink tonight," he said, his voice almost totally free of sarcasm. "For business, of course. I think if we spent some time together outside of work we'd get along better."

"I can't."

The blond frowned. "Why not?"

Rather than explaining to her partner the reality of her situation, as he certainly would be finding out some time in the near future that she was pregnant, she chose to only give him some of the truth. "My Mum and Dad invited me for dinner tonight," she said. "I can't skip it."

Draco actually appeared to be on the side of disappointment. "What about some other time this week?"

Ginny bit her lip. "I can't help but think that you're asking me out on a date, and I don't think that now is a good time for me to have an office romance. I'm sorry, Draco." Her voice was intentionally very patronizing. But, if she had expected her rejection to be enough for her partner to back down, she was sorely mistaken.

"Why the hell not?" he asked, if a bit whiny. "I'm the only person around her who can stand you, anyway. You aren't getting any younger, Weasley."

"Yes, because insulting me and telling me I'm getting old is sure to make me fall at your feet. And you're older than me, anyway!" She added the last part as an afterthought.

Draco smirked and put his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, Weasley. Go out on a date with me. I promise you that I'll make it worth your while."

She had a moment of temporary insanity in which she had forgotten her entire situation. The most important thing for her to do was think about her baby and figure out who the father was. She needed to take care of herself and her future child and not think about anything else. But in that moment, Malfoy looked more appealing than he ever had, and he was the first man to ask her out in a long time. Ginny attempted to rationalize the idea of going out with him because he might have been her one-night stand, although she had no real proof that they'd ever slept together. Rather than turning him down gently and explaining that the circumstances were not right for her, she said, "Pick me up tomorrow at my flat. Seven-thirty, and not a minute after."


	4. I Got You

After work, Ginny rushed from the Ministry to the nearest Wizard Mart convenience store. It had occurred to her earlier in the day that she had not taken a pregnancy test, and she was not going to throw herself into the lion's den without being one hundred percent certain. She rushed to her flat, discarding the box as rapidly as possible, and ran to the loo as soon as she crossed over the threshold. After waiting the three minutes for the test results to appear, Ginny fell to the floor. It was official now – her life was over. Composing herself as much as possible, Ginny dressed in jeans and an emerald green jumper, Apparated to the Burrow, and stood outside the back door for several minutes before finding the strength to enter.

"Sorry, got held up," Ginny said apologetically as she took her place between George and Percy. Hermione was seated directly across from her, and she made it a point to cast a deliberate glare in the other witch's direction. Ginny was not going to allow Hermione to think for a second that she was off the hook.

Everything in the room got quiet as soon as Ginny sat down. Every one of her brothers and their wives stared at each other awkwardly. Silent conversations were going on all around her, and Ginny felt very isolated, almost as though her entire family had been talking about her before she had come in. In reality, this probably wasn't too far from the truth.

Now feeling quite self-conscious, Ginny asked, "Is someone going to tell me the punch line?"

There was another pregnant pause in which all members of the Weasley family, with the exception of Ginny, looked at each other purposefully. It wasn't until the Weasley matriarch spoke that Ginny had a full understanding of what was going on.

"Dear, where is your…" Molly trailed off, unsure of the proper title that should be given to the father of Ginny's future child. "Your man?" she asked, somewhat lopsidedly.

She had forgotten that part. "Right, him," Ginny said, nervousness creeping in. "About that, Mum, he's…" She paused. This was not going to go over well. "I don't know who _he_ is."

The entire room went completely silent. With the exception of Hermione, who already knew this bit of information, everybody stared unapologetically at Ginny. Her brothers all looked homicidal, he father looked hurt, her sisters-in-law appeared sympathetic, but Molly was seething.

"You – you don't _know_ who the father is?" Molly asked incredulously. "Ginevra Molly, what in Merlin's name is the meaning of this?"

"Mum, please, can't we discuss this later? And in private, if you don't mind?"

"I mind, young lady. There are no secrets in this family, and you're going to explain exactly what you meant right this minute." Molly stood from her seat, placing her hands against the table as she leant forward for effect. Her eyes were fixed on Ginny.

"Fine!" Ginny exclaimed, trying to appear more put-together than she actually felt. "I was drunk and I brought someone to my flat. He was gone in the morning and I have no idea who he is, but I'm pregnant with his child." She stood up from her place at the table, matching her mother's gaze. "Now, if you will excuse me, the family trollop is going to go home and pretend her life_ isn't_ over." She Disapparated on the spot, leaving a very stunned-looking group of Weasleys.

Ginny didn't go home, though. She had a much better idea.

* * *

Using all of the courage that she could muster, Ginny approached the main door to the building. It was uncomfortable for her to be in this place, especially since she wasn't completely sure that anyone was even home. She walked up the stairs and onto the third floor where his flat was. Hoping that he hadn't gone out for drinks as she knew he had intended to, Ginny knocked on the door tentatively.

She heard footsteps and knew that he was home. When he opened the door, Ginny's mouth opened in surprise at his unkempt appearance. His work shirt was open, revealing his bare chest, and his tie had been undone. His normally primly-styled platinum hair had been ruffled and messed up. Draco opened his mouth slightly, intending to ask why she was there, but never got the chance.

Ginny leapt at Draco, her arms and legs wrapping around him tightly. She kissed him so fiercely that it shocked him, even taking him a few minutes to react. When realization dawned on him that his partner had come to his apartment and was kissing him, he came down from his confusion and returned the gesture with equal vigor as he ran his hands over her.

Draco toyed with the buttons on Ginny's sweater, undoing them slowly as he walked backward toward the bedroom of the flat. When the destination was reached, they fell into the bed in a heap of arms and legs. The blond was surprised, but pleasantly so, when he realized that Ginny was not intoxicated. She had never shown an interest in him any other time they had been near each other. But here she was, completely sober, and she wanted him.

His solid form was pressed onto hers as they raced to strip each other down completely, fighting for dominance. Their lips never left each other's bodies except for the split seconds it took to remove their shirts. He planted a lingering kiss against her neck as she writhed in anticipation. Draco was ready, poised to enter her, when she suddenly placed both of her hands against his chest a pushed, hard.

Before Draco could even ask what he did wrong, Ginny had pulled the sheet off of the bed, paying no mind to his modesty, and wrapped it around her slender form. She ran to the adjacent loo, not bothering to take the time to close the door, and vomited.

The blond man, who had been furious initially, stood and put on a pair of loose-fitting sweat pants. He knocked gently on the doorframe in an attempt to politely alert Ginny to his presence. When she didn't respond, he called her name. "Ginny? Are you still feeling sick? Look, you should probably go to a Healer…" He thought she was still dry heaving, but after a moment of really listening, he realized that she had started crying. "What's wrong?"

Ginny cast a shameful glance at him. After slowly getting to her feet, she ran the cold tap water in order to rinse out her mouth and cool down her face. It took several minutes before she was finally able to turn and face him.

"Are you going to explain to me what just happened?" Draco asked slowly. He was trying to keep calm, but patience was never his virtue. "I mean, you come here and bloody attack me! You get me all worked up, and then –"

"Stop!" she begged, cutting him off before he could say anymore. She approached him, clutching the sheet close to her naked body. "Please, I'll explain it to you, alright?"

"Fine." Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "Go on; I'm listening."

The redhead took a deep breath and then began pacing back and forth across the room. "Draco, I have a problem." She continued to walk around aimlessly, still wearing only a sheet, as she fought to never make eye contact with her partner. Ginny knew this was going to be a difficult thing to tell him because afterwards she had to ask if he was the one who was responsible. It also didn't help that she was starting to have feelings for him, but unless he had been the one to impregnate her, there was a good chance he wouldn't want anything to do with her. The truth was, she wasn't sure he would want anything to do with her if the baby _was_ his.

"You're going to have more than one problem if you don't quit stalling."

"Okay, Draco, have –" She paused. "Have you ever been in my flat before yesterday?"

He lifted an eyebrow slowly. "Excuse me?" When he realized that she was serious, he said, "I brought you to your flat once. I wasn't going to let you splinch yourself, or try to Floo when you were completely intoxicated."

Ginny bit her lip. "Did we… did we sleep together?"

The blond appeared to be slightly amused. "Again, I say, excuse me?"

"_Draco!_ Bloody answer me, will you?" She approached him purposefully, suddenly not caring if she was in naught but sheets. "This isn't fucking funny, do you understand me? Draco, I'm pregnant, and I have no bloody idea who this baby's father is!" A few lone tears trickled down her face, and she protectively wrapped an arm around her belly. "Is this baby yours?"

Realization of what had just been said dawned on him. He looked down at the crying girl before him. "No," he said evenly, "we haven't ever…"

Ginny nodded before a full stream of tears stung at the back of her eyes. She put her head down as she stormed away, frantically attempting to gather up her clothes and leave as quickly as possible. It was too much to look at him after what she had just asked. She felt like unbelievably shameful.

But she couldn't leave. A strong pair of hands latched firmly onto each of her shoulders, holding her upright and halting her frantic escape attempt. She wanted desperately to make eye contact, to look at him and try to read him, but she was too ashamed.

"Ginny, I'm sorry that this happened to you," he said.

Still unable to look at him, she wiped away her stray tears. "It's not your fault," she said with a whimper. "I'm going to go. I have to go back to see my parents. I sort of stormed off."

Much to her surprise, Draco wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tight to his chest. He held her there firmly for several minutes, not giving any indication that he was ever going to let go. He whispered in her ear, "Stay here with me tonight." It wasn't a question, and it wasn't an offer. Draco knew that she was in no state to be using any form of magical transport, and he also knew that she needed to relax and clear her head before she re-approached her family.

Ginny let go of her reservations, wrapping her tired arms around his middle. "Are you angry?" she asked nervously.

"Why would I be angry?" he asked amusedly.

She tensed and tried to pull away, but his stronger form wouldn't allow it. "Let me go, okay? I thought that you liked me, but –"

He cut her off, kissing her soundly. He parted her lips gently with his tongue and threaded his long fingers in her hair. After several long, sensual moments, he pulled away. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, "I do like you."

"But, Draco, do you understand that I'm having someone else's child?" She clutched onto his arms. "I mean, how could we ever have a relationship? How could that ever work?" Ginny bit her bottom lip nervously. "Why would you ever want someone who has been so… used?"

Draco chuckled softly and then followed up his mocking laugh with a smirk. "Honestly, woman, if I wanted to find a reason to avoid you, I could easily come up with a better one than that." He paused, running a gentle hand through her hair. "I mean, you're insufferable, you're mean, you don't get along with _anyone_, and you make me want to bash my head against something jagged, sharp, and pointy every time I talk to you. You think that if I can get past all of that, I'd be discouraged by you being pregnant? Everyone makes mistake, Gin." He paused. "Except me."

Knowing that he was trying to lighten the mood, Ginny smiled at him. But it all seemed too good to be true, too far out of his character to be so understanding about her situation. "How do I know you won't just leave me?"

"You don't," he answered simply. "But, do you trust me?"

She thought about this for a moment. Had he ever given her an indication that he'd abandon her? Hadn't he made it perfectly clear that he had feelings for her? "No, not really," she answered, the smile on her face doubling in size.

"Well, it's settled then." He pulled her into him, embracing her tightly against his chest. "I'm not going anywhere. I got you."


	5. Drive By

It was like a shock to the system, the way she had awoken. He was looming over her, his head resting on the palm of his hand as he lay propped on his elbow, watching her sleep soundly. His expression was a strange one. He wore a smile that she had never seen on him before. It was almost carefree and peaceful, and those feelings had been transmitted into her body by the way his soft hands gently caressed her bare arm. She could not remember the last time she had woken up beside someone like this, feeling safe and at peace.

Draco had noticed immediately as her eyes began to open groggily. She could tell – his smile grew slightly and he subconsciously shifted in his place, sitting up a bit more. It made her insides feel incorrigibly warm. It had been so long since someone had spent the night taking care of her, and to see him watching over her still gave her a tingle in the pit of her stomach that made her impossibly happy.

He kissed her forehead, the sweetest smile she had ever seen on him not faltering in the slightest. "You're up," he whispered, surprising even himself at his pathetic stating of the obvious, trying only to find something to say to the girl in his bed.

She smiled at this. "So are you," she replied. "How long have you been watching me?"

With a shrug, he slid the arm that his head had been resting on beneath her pillow, snuggling up to her side. "About an hour, I suppose," he responded after a long moment.

Ginny turned on her side to face him properly. "I can't stay long," she said grudgingly. "I have things to do today, though I have to admit that _this_ is clearly the better option."

"What things?" Draco asked after a moment, running a gentle had down her cheek.

She sighed deeply. "I've got to apologize to my family, for one thing. I need to make an appointment to see a Healer about my little _predicament_, and I need to stop in and talk to Tom at La Boehm. See if he knows who I left with that night." With a groan, she turned on her other side, not wanting to face him. "God, I'm such a slag."

"Hey! What did I spend all night telling you? You are not a slag, you are not a trollop, and you are not any of the other choice names you've referred to yourself as in the last twelve hours."

"Then how did this happen?" she challenged as she sat up, making certain that the sheets were still covering her otherwise bare chest. "Draco, I got pregnant by a man that I quite possibly don't know, and now I'm in your bed. Who does this, if not a little tramp?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to listen to this anymore." He sat up on the edge of the bed, pulling his trousers on before standing up. "Ginny, I'll be there for you. I'll help you with anything, but I'm done with your little pity party."

"Well how would you feel, then?"

"I'd feel like I had more important things to busy my time with rather than obsess about shite that can't be fixed." He took a calming breath before sitting beside her again. With a much softer air, he said, "I understand that you feel bad, but your attitude isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Maybe once I know whose baby I'm having I'll feel better." Jokingly, she added, "Maybe he'll be someone rich!"

Draco rolled his eyes again before standing back up and tossing her the clothing she had warn to his flat the night before. "Get dressed."

Coyly, she asked, "Are you throwing me out?"

"No, you bloody brainless harpy. I'm taking you to your sodding Healer's appointment, to see Tom at La Boehm, and to pay your family a visit. Now get dressed, you right pain in the arse." He smiled at her for a moment before retreating into his bathroom.

Despite the insulting words, Ginny smiled and did as she was told, knowing full well that he was only teasing her. There was no sense in denying that her day would be much smoother and much less stressful with a friend there to support her, and she had to admit that she was thankful at how well he had taken everything that she had told him. Considering that her circumstances were less than ideal, the news could have gone a lot worse, and she could have been left without a single friend on her side. Hermione had betrayed her, her family, no doubt, was furious with her, and Harry had just triggered her last nerve. Draco had become, in only a few weeks, her most supportive ally.

Before the pair of them left his flat, Ginny made a Floo call to an Obstetric Healer, who Katie had raved about, and made herself an appointment for later that morning. Afterwards, Draco took her to a quaint little restaurant, where he paid for her to have breakfast, regardless of her fruitless attempts to persuade him otherwise. It would have been a pleasant meal, had three of her brothers not been in the booth beside them.

Bill, Charlie, and George looked at them accusingly for a long while, but it wasn't until they saw Draco reach across the table to squeeze her hand reassuringly about something they had been whispering about that they decided to make their presence known.

"So much for not knowing who put a bun in your oven, Gin," George said teasingly, sliding in next to her and kissing her on the cheek. Charlie slid in the other side, and Bill took a seat beside Draco. "Although, the ferret? Surely you could do better."

"What are you boys doing?" Ginny asked irritably. "We were going to stop by the Burrow later on." She did not really appreciate her brothers interrupted them, but she also couldn't help but be a grateful that it had been these three brothers in particular. Though everyone in the Weasley family had always been very protective of Ginny, Charlie, Bill, and the twins usually gave Ginny some credit and would generally give her the benefit of the doubt before exploding on her or running to their parents.

"Is this fine fellow the father of our future niece or nephew?" Bill asked as he put an arm around Draco and gave him a manly squeeze. He had chosen to ignore the seething glare that he had been receiving from the blond since he had taken his seat. At Ginny's shake of the head, Bill said, "Then I suggest you don't come back to the house just yet."

"Mum is livid," Charlie added, nodding his head in agreement.

Ginny put her head in her hands, irritated that her brothers had intruded on her perfectly delightful morning with Draco, hurt that her mum was angry enough for her brothers to warn her against returning home, but still thankful that Ron and had not been with her other three brothers. "Are you guys mad at me?" she asked meekly.

Bill, who was the oldest and most diplomatic of the bunch, replied, "We were not particularly thrilled by your little outburst last night, really, but worse things have happened. You have to know that your family will be here to support you, Gin, no matter what."

"And so will the ferret, apparently," George added brightly. "Although, why is he here, exactly?"

Draco had opened his mouth to speak, but Ginny gave him a pointed look that shut him up immediately. "Draco is my partner at the Auror department. I told him what happened, and he was trying to cheer me up with some eggs and a Belgian waffle." She gave him a sly wink. "But, in all seriousness, gentlemen, I do have to go to my Healer appointment."

"Are you bringing him?" Charlie asked, nodding toward Draco.

She smiled. "He offered."

Charlie got to his feet and then pulled Ginny from the booth. He whispered in her ear, "Harry is going to be disappointed that you are going with someone else, you know. He's crazy about you, Gin."

Ginny whispered back, "Harry missed his chance when I was eighteen." She kissed him on the ear. "Charlie, don't worry about me."

After Ginny exchanged hugs and kisses with the rest of her brothers, who had in turn exchanged significant, untrusting glances and firm handshakes with Draco, the two of them had set off to the nearest Apparation point.

Once they were no longer within earshot of her brothers, Draco gave Ginny a nudge in the arm. "Why did you lie to them?" he asked, a slight edge in his voice. "I mean, you didn't have to tell them that we'd spent the night together, but you could have at least told them I was more than just your partner."

"Who says you are?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

"I'm serious, Gin. I won't be your little secret. If you intend for me to be your boy-toy, then let me know now so we can end this while we're ahead." After a few moments, he added indignantly, "And I haven't been a ferret in years."

She smiled at his last comment, but didn't say anything more. In truth, she was not quite sure what she thought of Draco as. Certainly he was her friend – more than, really – but was the term 'boyfriend' appropriate? She wasn't sure, and she didn't want to ask. He had been good to her and had held her all night as she cried and complained about how her life was over. Would someone who was interested only in being friends hold her all night, whispering things in her ear so sweet that she thought she'd die from being over-sugared? Draco had not judged her once while she told him all of the things that she needed to get off her chest, he had been more than understanding when she'd had to stop him from making love to her, and he had not pressured her in the slightest to resume those activities.

Thoughts were put aside temporarily after she had been called back into the Healer's office.

The Mediwitch with the clipboard checked Ginny's vitals and took a brief history, asking everything to whether or not she smoked to questions about her dietary habits. Afterwards she said, "Healer Norrington will be in to see you shortly, ma'am. You'll need to undress from the waist down. Your husband can stay, if you'd like." The witch smiled before leaving.

"Do you want me to leave for this part, wife?" Draco asked teasingly.

Ginny shrugged as she started to undress behind a small curtain in the side of the room. "My mum said once that when you have children you lose all modesty. I may as well start with you, considering that you've seen me without clothes on already, anyhow." When she was ready to come out, she asked, "Could you cover your eyes, please? Just until I sit."

Draco covered his face. "What happened to no modesty?" he muttered under his breath.

"You can look now," she replied, ignoring his comment. "I'm nervous. I've never been here before."

"Want me to hold your hand while he examines you?" he asked, taking a seat beside her. "If it hurts, you can squeeze my fingers as hard as you want."

"Yes, please," she responded sheepishly.

* * *

"You said I could squeeze as hard as I want!" Ginny cried indignantly. "Those were your words, Malfoy, not mine!"

"Yes, _squeeze_. I said you could squeeze, not claw your bloody talons into my fingers and break the skin on my hand!" Draco surveyed the damage. "Bloody hell, woman, you didn't need to make me bleed!"

"Sorry," she muttered apologetically. "It hurt."

"I'll live," he replied flatly. "Time to visit our dear friend Tom?"

They walked in companionable silence through Diagon Alley. La Boehm was, unfortunately on the far of the Alley in relation to the Apparation point, and so the walk was a lengthy one. Normally, Flooing in would be more practical, but it was a well-known fact that using the Floo network is ill-advised for pregnant women, as frequent smoke inhalations were common and could cause serious pregnancy complications.

When they finally arrived at the pub, Draco followed Ginny in and they sat together at the bar. It took only a moment before Tom noticed them and approached.

"Hey, kids," the greying bartender said happily. "You're here early. The usuals?"

"Not today, Tom," Ginny said with a smile. "I was hoping that you would be able to help me with something, actually."

The older man nodded. "Certainly."

Ginny bit her lip. "About five weeks ago," she began, trying to decide the best and most appropriate way to phrase her question, "I came in here and got pissed. I left with somebody – a man. I am terribly embarrassed to ask this, but is there any chance that you remember who I left with?" She could feel her cheeks flushing a vibrant shade of red and barely had the strength to make eye contact.

Tom lifted an eyebrow. "Er, I don't know how to tell you this kid, but I've seen you leave with several people throughout the years in your drunken stupor. I don't remember them all." He blushed slightly, apparently not feeling entirely comfortable with the conversation, either, especially when considering the fact Ginny was young enough to be his daughter. "Red, lot of blokes come in and talk to you while you're drinking. You're a popular one."

"Right," Draco interjected as he tried to not be bothered by what had just been said about Ginny, "but this would have been the most recent time she left with somebody."

"Well, that would have been you, a couple nights ago."

Ginny rolled her eyes and took in a deep breath. Clearly, Tom was not the brightest of light bulbs, and she had to fight off every impulse she had to reach across the counter and strangle him. With every last shred of control that she had, she asked him one more time. Slowly, she said, "Tom. I need you to think. Besides Draco, who was the last person you saw me leave with."

He started thinking hard, and several tense moments grew between them. "Well, that would have been Harry, I suppose."

Draco's eyes narrowed, but Ginny's about doubled in size. "Did – did you say Harry? As in, Potter? As in, Harry _fucking_ Potter?"

Tom suddenly looked scared. "Yeah – I mean, yes. It would have been about a month or so ago. You came in the next day, angry because Blondie over here was made your new partner."

"Oh," was all she could manage to say.


End file.
